You would be better off with that structure over some selections in this thread.

Australia had better depth in 1986 than now to be brutally honest.

As a 26 year old, i've heard this line about 40 times. We are weak in the centres and nowhere else.


I used to be of the same opinion, even though he plays for my club. This year especially i've learnt that when a man as huge as TLL runs as hard as he now does, it doesn't matter if he's stopped in his tracks and put on his ass. The effort it takes to do that to him takes it's toll. Throughout a game, it's very effective. I just hope the few weeks lay off doesn't wreck his ball-handling, which he is prone to losing when coming back from injuries or at the start of each season. With TLL, Shillo, Civo and Scott, we are made in the prop department. I have no concerns whatsoever.


Yep. The 2004 team was worse than this one also...on paper (44-4, anyone?). We've had some pretty good teams since then, and this could arguably be the worst in half a decade, but i'll reserve judgement until the results have passed.

I just saw the Kiwi squad, and the team they can form out of that is bloody scary. They're a massive chance.

When the Australian selectors resort to the likes of Sam Thaiday, Tom Learoyd-Lahrs, Greg Bird, Dean Young and Todd Carney, you are weak in more than the centres

These players would get nowhere near previous Kangaroo squads

The difficulty McNamara has is the lack of Englishmen in many of the Superleague teams currently. It seems that the rules designed to improve the number of English players aren't working.

He can't pick people who aren't English (or want to represent England) or who aren't fit.

With the likes of Sinfield, McGuire, Eastmond, Price all injured what's he to do?

Its a shocking England squad to be honest. Short at Centre and Half Backs. Looks like we've gone with the usual idea of a big pack will win through. For this swaud to be competitive we need to bulk up in positions so i'd go with

1 Widdop
2 Goulding
3 Ellis
4 Shenton
5 Hall
6 Lockers
7 S Tomkins
8 Morley
9 Roby
10 Graham
11 Burgess
12 Westwood
13 J Tomkins

Subs. Fielden, Robinson, Harrison, Crabtree

I guarentee more than one of those players will make you eat those words.

Just as I said in the previous topic i started I think this could be the most embarrassing England tour of all time. viewtopic.php?f=2&t=472708 Although the Aussies have lost a couple of major stars their squad looks formidable and the Kiwis squad looks as strong as ever! Would have liked to have seen Danny Brough play at No. 7 alongside Tomkins + Peter Fox on the wing. Darrell Goulding is riding high on playing in a very good Wigan team but IMO is no where near international standard. Very worried indeed.

Just as I said in the previous topic i started I think this could be the most embarrassing England tour of all time. viewtopic.php?f=2&t=472708 Although the Aussies have lost a couple of major stars their squad looks formidable and the Kiwis squad looks as strong as ever! Would have liked to have seen Danny Brough play at No. 7 alongside Tomkins + Peter Fox on the wing. Darrell Goulding is riding high on playing in a very good Wigan team but IMO is no where near international standard. Very worried indeed.

I think Sam Thaiday is the best backrower in the world right now. He just shades Ellis due to his better attacking play than Gareth. To underestimate Thaiday would be a big mistake. Learoyd Lahrs runs the ball as hard as anyone in world RL. Lewis is possibly the weak link in their forwards. Not including Gasnier does England a favour though i think. I dont think our centres would have fancied facing him.

Well for a start I would have been bugging Deacon to make sure he was available.
I have no problens with the general situation as you state it but some Hudds fans are playing billy big ballocks which IMHO is leaving them wide open for probable abuse should the tournament go as I would expect it to.

Thanks for that...

And now back to the point I was making about them not getting near previous Australian teams

Listed below is the 1986 Kangaroo touring squad - which would you drop to accomodate Sam Thaiday, Tom Learoyd-Lahrs, Greg Bird, Dean Young and Todd Carney?

Greg Alexander
Gary Belcher
Martin Bella
Noel Cleal
Phil Daley
Les Davidson
Greg Dowling
Paul Dunn
Ben Elias
Steve Folkes
Des Hasler
Garry Jack
Brett Kenny
Les Kiss
Terry Lamb
Paul Langmack
Wally Lewis (c)
Bob Lindner
Mal Meninga
Gene Miles
Chris Mortimer
Bryan Niebling
Michael O'Connor
Steve Roach
Dale Shearer
Royce Simmons
Paul Sironen
Peter Sterling

It's the worst england team I've seen in decades.

and to top it all

They have a banana in charge.

Steve Crapbanana.

Even as the most staounch rovers fan, I can tell you this lad is far more then that. An absolutely superb player with the potential to develop into a world class centre imo.

I disagree, I think it will be a stronger team than that which contested the World Cup semi final

There is some debate on the starting line up... but let’s say it’s the following line up based on the French Test in June (with Atkins in for Bridge, Roby for Sinfield and Morley for Peacock in the starting line up)

Widdop
Briscoe
Atkins
Shenton
Hall

Brown
Tomkins

Graham
Roby
Morley
Burgess
Ellis
O’Loughlin

Harrison
Westwood
Tomkins
Lunt

I think that this is a stronger team than contested the World Cup semi

Paul Wellens
Ade Gardner
Martin Gleeson
Keith Senior
Mark Calderwood

Danny McGuire
Rob Burrow

James Graham
James Roby
Jamie Peacock
Ben Westwood
Gareth Ellis
Rob Purdham

Leon Pryce
Adrian Morley
Mickey Higham
Jon Wilkin

Theres not a lot in it but the current side has a LOT of youth in there.

I keep mmmming and rrrrrring about the squad and Ive now changed my mind on squad selection. I'd now go with

1. Sam Tomkins- has been devastating at full back and should be picked there on form
2. Darrell Goulding- scored 28 tries this year, solid under the high ball, should start!
3. Michael Shenton- time for him to step up, will need to be brilliant in defence.
4. Ryan Atkins- Had a good season at warrington, big lad, defensive test for him.
5. Tom Briscoe- Come of age at hull this year, got picked too early last year, could have a blinder!
6. Gareth Widdop- been playing at 6 in Aus, good defender to have out wide aswell!
7. Kevin Brown- I think he could link up very well and could provide sam with some good service.
8. Sam Burgess- I'd play him at prop, let him take the aussies on up front, means we can utilise our 2nd rowers such as westwood and Joel
9. James Roby- Been very good at saints, let him run the ruck!
10. James Graham- been outstanding at saints again, needs to have a big series
11. Gareth Ellis- Best 2nd rower in the world!
12. Ben Westwood- I like Westwood, gives you some good tough agression
13. Sean O'Loughlin- Mr. Consistancy, also got very good handling skills!

14. Adrian Morley- Id go with Skip on the bench because I like our chances with him coming on after 25 mins when the aussies have dealt with the brawn of burgess and jammer
15. Stuart Fielden- experience will be key with big stu he's got it in bags, hes got a point to prove to the aussies aswell!
16. Luke Robinson- gives us cover for the backs and also the hooking role
17. Joel Tomkins- Again gives us cover for centre/loose and of course second row!

For me this is the best way for england to go, alot of impact off the bench and a very mobile and aggressive pack straight from the off, if sam can find space behind them anything can happen!

Still cant get over Widdop what a joke, noone mentions a problem with hin but everyone jumps on the Giant bashing soon as possible. Especially after how well we have competed over the past few years with the same players. Not happy who would you have picked.

Its ok, to read some peoples comments its not actually worth sending them anyway...

Great things will happen over there, get your money on before the comp but wait for another point.

Briscoe a 'tryer'?! After watching this lad for the past 3 years or so, it's evident that he's something special. He's freakishly strong, particularly when running the ball from his own 20, capable of superb defence and makes tries out of nothing rather than given to him on a plate. To be honest, he's wasted at Hull and I hope he gives the NRL a crack when his deal ends.

My 17:

Widdop
Briscoe
Atkins
Ellis
Hall
Brown
S. Tomkins
Graham
Roby
Morley
J. Tomkins
Westwood
O'Loughlin

Robinson
Burgess
Crabtree
Fielden

Another thing of note is we hear all this about us having the best pack but we always seem to tire badly after an hour against the aussies. Id be looking at the forwards with the best engines on them. Newton le Willows' team is a good reflection of that.

^Spot on.


I was 2 years old when that team ran out, what place do I have judging them to todays' players? Nice that you picked The Unbeatables to prove your point though. I've already stated that I believe our 2003 and 2004 teams were worse than this year's. You can take that as my counter-point if you wish, otherwise i'll just assume you made an exaggerated comment.

Why no lynch/scruton?

The 03 team was a poor side and we SHOULD have won that series, dont care what anyone says. To be fair the England team today would stick 50 on that GB team imo and we're a very young side. Depending on how things go over the next couple of years it looks pretty good for the '13 WC.

IMO Australia have a problem until they raise that Salary Cap. Without digressing too much you take say the top 3 players from each NRL side and there are some VERY ordinary sides. The depth isnt there anymore imho because too many players are finding themselves out of the game being replaced by younger cheaper options. Aus are still way out in front dont get me wrong but we're catching them, fast. Give the likes of Briscoe, Eastmond, Tomkins (both), Burgess, Hall, Shenton et al a few years and when they start shaving, we will go okay.

Coulda, shoulda, woulda.... the fact is you lost.

3-0.


How on earth can you possibly say it's looking good for England in the 2013 world cup?

I'm sure England will improve... my god... they cant get much worse.

But sadly for england all the other nations will improve as well... and they will improve more than England.